3 Successful (and Profitable) Innovation Insights Learned from the History of the Full Focus Planner
May 24, 2022
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Joel Miller, Chief Product Officer of Full Focus, shares his journey shaping the wildly successful Full Focus Planner. He discusses how they pinpointed market opportunities and navigated unexpected challenges during product launches. The significance of customer feedback in driving innovation is highlighted, revealing how it led to a diversified product line. Emphasizing analog solutions in a digital era, Joel also sheds light on effective goal alignment strategies and the risks of transitioning from digital to physical products.
The development of the Full Focus Planner highlighted the importance of identifying market opportunities and creating solutions that blend goal achievement with productivity.
Effective innovation relies on gathering direct customer feedback, which can significantly enhance product design, functionality, and foster customer loyalty.
Deep dives
The Journey of the Full Focus Planner
In 2013, the team launched a successful goal achievement course called 'Five Days to Your Best Year Ever,' which was instrumental in setting the stage for their subsequent innovation. Recognizing the lack of a tool that integrated both their goal achievement and productivity frameworks, they aimed to create a paper planner that would serve this purpose. Inspired by David Sachs' book, 'The Revenge of Analog,' the decision to develop an analog tool was motivated by the need to provide an effective solution in an increasingly digital world. This innovative perspective led to the birth of the Full Focus Planner, which became an essential resource for individuals looking to achieve their goals more seamlessly.
Embracing Risk in Innovation
Venturing into the physical product market presented significant risks for the team, as they had previously focused solely on digital products. The financial dynamics of physical products, which typically involve higher upfront costs and lower margins, compounded the inherent risks. Despite forecasting potential challenges, the team went ahead with a significant print run without fully realizing the associated risks with production and delivery. Ultimately, they learned valuable lessons about managing unexpected costs and the importance of understanding financial implications in physical product launches.
The Importance of Responsiveness
Successful innovation hinges on being responsive to customer needs and market demands, and the creators of the Full Focus Planner worked diligently to gather feedback from their users. After the initial launch, the team sought to improve the planner's design and functionality through direct input from users, fostering a sense of ownership among their customer base. They developed a private Facebook group that allowed users to contribute ideas and suggestions, enabling the design to evolve based on actual user preferences. This responsiveness not only enhanced the product but also built customer loyalty and community around the planner.
Learning from Mistakes
Throughout the development and launch of the Full Focus Planner, the team faced numerous challenges and setbacks, but these experiences became crucial learning opportunities. They learned the significance of transparency when encountering issues, as open communication helped maintain customer trust even when faced with delays. By sharing their story and taking responsibility for mistakes, they were able to turn a potential public relations crisis into an opportunity for deeper customer connection. Ultimately, their journey illustrates that while risks and mistakes are inevitable in innovation, they can be managed and turned into stepping stones for success.
When the Full Focus Planner was developed, we had no idea that it would take off and become over half of our business. Five years and one million planners later, Michael Hyatt, Megan Hyatt Miller, and Chief Product Officer Joel Miller talk about the three valuable insights they learned that transformed their business.
In this episode, you'll learn -
How Full Focus identified an opportunity in the market
What to do if something goes wrong with a product launch
How the FFP product line was diversified through direct customer feedback
In honor of the 5 Year Anniversary of the Full Focus Planner, visit www.fullfocusplanner.com and use the code "CHEERSTO5YEARS" for 10% off sitewide!